A tree, with roots symbolically going back 253 years, now is growing on the Eisenhower Recreation Center grounds, thanks to members of the Puc Puggy and John Bartram chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and The Villages’ chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. They planted a Winged Elm variety during Saturday’s Liberty Tree and marker dedication.
The newly-planted tree now has a heritage that extends to pre-Revolutionary days when Bostonians gathered, on Aug. 14, 1765, under a tree to protest the British-imposed Stamp Act. Their actions were the first show of public defiance against the English.
Later, the colonists hung an effigy on the tree of Andrew Oliver who King George III had chosen to impose the hated tax. A sign, Tree of Liberty was nailed to the tree a month later, explained Sallie Kautz, a Puc Puggy Chapter regent.
After British loyalists chopped down the tree, its stump continued as a rallying location. Today, in its honor, liberty trees are planted around the world as symbols of independence, she continued.
In addition to members of the three local chapters, other participating representatives were: Scott Bushnell and David Hardwich of the Sons of Liberty Lake-Sumter chapter; Jack Ciotti from the Early American History Club, and Karen Carbonneau, the DAR’s vice chairman, Units Overseas.
“We are ‘lineage-based’ organizations with membership based on an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War or materially supported the colonists in their battle for independence from Great Britain,” explained Claudia Jacques, second regent of the DAR’s John Bartram Chapter. “For example, my ancestor was a Minuteman who fought in the battles of Lexington and Sarasota.”
Jacques’ chapter was started five years ago. The name, assigned by the DAR’s national association, recognizes a botanist from Philadelphia who was a friend of Benjamin Franklin.
“The Puc Puggy chapter, was formed some 25 years ago, and now primarily draws those Villagers living north of County Road 466,” said Jacques. “The name Puc Puggy had been given by the Indians to John Bartram’s son, William. With some 160 members, under the leadership of Regent Jeanne Farren, the chapter is one of Florida’s largest.
The 128-year old Daughters of the American Revolution now has 185,000 members in 3,000 chapters across the United States and internationally.
The Sons of the American Revolution, began 125 years ago, and is the largest ‘male lineage’ organization in the United States with 500 chapters and 34,000 members.
“The Villages’ SAR chapter received its charter in 2000 thanks to David Bussone after separating from the Lake-Sumter chapter. He had the idea for the three chapters to co-sponsor this tree dedication ceremony,” said chapter President Donald Wyman.
“Our 90 members work to instill a sense of history especially in schools where American History no longer is taught, and the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of patriots and the sacrifices they made,” he said.
Said Carole Ann Peskin, of the John Bartram chapter, “The three organizations share a common purpose: promote education, patriotism, and historic preservation. These are the qualities that support and improve America.”